Robert A. Kandel

Robert A. Kandel, former Commissioner of New York City’s Office for Economic Development and representative of Mayor Koch on the New York City Board of Estimate, joined the Kaye Scholer Real Estate Department in 1989 to represent clients in the areas of real estate development, zoning, land use regulation, public economic development incentives and tax assessment reductions.

With extensive government experience and substantive knowledge of the applicable law, Mr. Kandel is able to guide Kaye Scholer clients through the complex regulations and procedures by which land use is controlled in New York City. He handles proceedings before such agencies as the City Council, the City Planning Commission, the Board of Standards and Appeals, the Department of Buildings, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Landmarks Preservation Commission and the Tax Commission. He also assists clients in responding to Requests For Proposals for development projects sponsored by the City, or by other public agencies such as New York’s Empire State Development Corporation.

Complimenting his land use practice, Mr. Kandel routinely counsels developers and owners on the acquisition and disposition, development and construction of real estate. Diverse transactions and projects have included major mix-use developments in New York City, residential facilities for not for profit institutions, industrial and commercial expansions and facility acquisition for cultural institutions.

Mr. Kandel has written and lectured extensively on public economic development incentives, zoning, land use and real property tax reduction matters. Mr. Kandel is the co-editor of The Index to the Zoning Resolution of the City of New York. He is also the revisor of the land use chapters in Matthew Bender’s New York Practice Guide: Real Estate (1992).

With his exceptional knowledge of New York City’s Zoning Resolution and the various regulatory, tax and economic development programs applicable in the City, Mr. Kandel makes it possible for clients to add substantial value to their real estate projects. Mr. Kandel’s experience and knowledge complement the practice of the Kaye Scholer Real Estate Department, and bring an important component to the broad range of legal services we provide to our clients.